Another day in the clinic

Every morning in the clinic before the day gets going all of the staff gather together in the waiting room for a devotional and prayer led by Percy Padilla, the Pastor of the clinic. Usually we are joined by one or two early birds to the clinic, but most people don't show up until it gets a bit warmer out. Well, Tuesday is the day that Dr. Mario (one of the Peruvian physicians) attends patients in the clinic, and he is quite popular with the people in the neighborhood so by 8 am our little clinic was full of patients! So everyone had to stand because we didn't have enough chairs...such a blessing to have a room full of people to hear God's word but not when there aren't enough chairs! When I first got here I wondered why some days the clinic almost seems dead and others it is just bursting. I quickly found out this has a lot to do with the physician that is attending patients that day--and Dr. Mario is a favorite. To get you up to speed there are several Peruvian doctors who work in the clinic during the week. Occasionally we have teams from the states in the clinic or a doctor will come for a week or two, but the day in and day out patient care falls mostly on our Peruvian doctors who can serve as primary care physicians (although this concept isn't widely practiced here--most people come out only concerned with immediate needs).







The last patient I triaged today was this elderly man from the Sierras who was a farmer (agricultor....paltas/avocados, manderinas, limon/lemons). He came in with a complaint of some chest pains. I was trying to take his blood pressure but the machine kept giving me an error signal, so I went and found a cuff to take it manually (*We only have two stethoscopes in the clinic so I use mine all the time..Thanks Mom!) I had a bit of trouble though because this guys pressure was through the roof! We had a good little talk afterwards while I was taking his medical history. He was born in the Sierras in Huamachuco and was about 78 (I think...he wasn't sure so I just kept throwing years out at him and he eventually decided on 1931!). He told me about the different places he had lived in Peru and things he had seen. He worked around Huaraz for a long time and told me about that area. I am hoping to go soon with some of the other interns....there is a good bit of climbing there and it is supposed to be beautiful. He said there is always always snow and ice, and bitterly cold at night but so beautiful. He also taught me my first bit of Quechua..bread (pan in spanish) is t'anta. I love talking with the characters that come in...so fascinating to learn from them and they have had some very interesting life experiences.